Beirut, Lebanon - In what they hope to be the first of many events to introduce Indonesian culture to the Lebanese, the American University of Science and Technology (AUST) and the Indonesian Embassy held a joint celebration of Indonesian Cultural Day on Thursday and Friday. The celebration included food tasting, a brief documentary on the demographics of Indonesia, a "Peacock" dance, and an eclectic performance of musical styles from across the archipelago that ranged from classical to pop.
Speeches were given by AUST president Hiam Saqr, and Indonesian Ambassador Bagas Hosporo, who said a major purpose of the event was to facilitate an understanding between "two different peoples on geographically opposite ends of the globe who don`t know very much about each other."
Hosporo also mentioned common misconceptions peoples both countries had toward one another. "The political tensions have kept Indonesian professionals from working here. We have a wait and see attitude. When many Indonesians think of Lebanon they have a perception of the Civil War.
"Even I landed in Lebanon with a vague idea of the country but everybody welcomes foreigners with their smiles. Although Lebanon is small in proportion there is much to learn from Lebanon. We should work closely," he continued.
He added, "when Lebanese talk about Indonesia, they mention the Bali bombings or the tsunami but Indonesia is more then just tsunami or terrorism. Indonesia is one of the largest democracies in the world. Few know about the diversity of the different more than 300 ethnic groups."
Tolerance and diversity were major themes emphasized for the evening. As an example of what she called "Unity in diversity," Saqr highlighted how she hoped the event would help "strengthen ties Between AUST and Indonesian universities. There is no reason why we should turn always to the west."
"Both countries enjoy diversity of religion. Both enjoy the diversity of several cultures. Indonesian art is a combination of Muslim, Chinese and native aesthetic," she added.
The evening finished with a fashion show of traditional Lebanese garb, show cased by the AUST student body. An Indonesian version of a Lebanese pop song was also performed.
"Tonight we celebrate people who are so distant and so close," she concluded.
Source: www.dailystar.com.lb (31 Maret 2008)